Cutting-machine.



G. F. MOORE.

CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED $33116, 1908.

Patented Sept. 5,1911.

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COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH CO..WA=nmu-ur u. c,

G. F. MOORE.

CUTTING MACHINE- APPLIOAITION FILED SEPT. 16, 1908.

Patented Sept. 5,1911.

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K k {J G. F. MOORE.

CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1908.

Patented se t.5,1911.

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tnviTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. MOORE, OF MELROSE HIGHLANDS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LEON C. SPAULDING, HUNTLEY N. SPAULDING, AND ROLAND H. SPAULDING, OF ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND EMMA C. SPAULDING AND MARION L. SPAULDING, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, COPARTNERS DOING BUSI- i. NESS UNDER THE FIRM-NAME AND STYLE OF J. SPAULDING & SONS COMPANY, OF

ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

CUTTING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cotonou F. Moonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose Highlands, in the county of Middleand State of Massachusetts, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Cutting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to cutting machines, and more especially to a machine which is well adapted for dividing a strip of leather, leatherboard or like material, into sections suitable for use as blanks for boot and shoe counters, and the object of the invention is to produce a machine of this character which shall be simple in construction and efiicient in operation.

In accordance with one of the principal features of the invention, a strip of material is divided into sections by a series of cutters, and the adjacent severed sections are moved out of the cutting plane in opposite directions. For instance, if four sections are formed by the cutters, the first section is moved in one direction out of the cutting plane; the second section is moved in the opposite direction; the third section is moved in the same direction as the first section; and the fourth section is moved in the same direction as the second section. Thus adjacent sections will be moved in opposite directions and in case more than two sections are formed, alternate sect-ions will also be moved in the same direction out of the cutting plane.

Further features of the invention contemplate the stacking of the sections or blanks as they are moved out of the cutting plane, and this is preferably done by bringing each of the blanks as the blanks are cut into engagement with a stack of previously cut blanks which is supported either between two of the cutters or between two of the cooperating cutter blocks and is forced back in its supporting guideway by the engagement of a newly cut blank therewith.

ln embodying these features of the invention in a machine especially adapted for Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 16, 1908.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 453,248.

the forming of blanks for boot and shoe counters, I have employed certain further features of invention which are of importance in contributing to the simplicity and efiiciency of the machine, although not essentially involved in the broader features of the invention.

The various features of the invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, and from the following detailed description of the specific construction shown therein.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the features of the invention in their preferred forms; Fig. 2 is a. front elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan View; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation; and Fig. 5 is a view showing the strip of material which is acted upon by the machine, the line of severance being indicated in dotted lines.

The machine shown in the drawings is especially designed to sever previously formed strips into blanks suitable for use in the manufacture of counters for boots or shoes. As shown, the machine is provided with cutting devices adapted to simultaneously divide the strip presented thereto into four sections or blanks, the ends of which are inclined equally in opposite directions. The number of sections into which the strip is severed is not important, and may be varied as desired. In order that the same machine may be utilized for cutting varying sizes of blanks, the cutting devices and the devices intimately associated therewith are so constructed and arranged that they may be readily adjusted. I/Vhile the adjustable features are not essential, they are of importance in increasing the capacity and commercial value of the machine.

The blank or strip upon which the machine illustrated is designed to operate, is of rectangular form, as shown in Fig. 5, and since this strip is to be divided into four sections, and the sect-ions are to have inclined ends, the machine is provided with five cutters and five cooperating cutter blocks. The cutters l are secured to cutter carrying blocks 2 which are in turn secured to a crosshead or bar 3. The cutter blocks 4 with which the cated by means of two eccentrics 6 secured to a shaft 7 and connected with opposite ends of the crosshe'ad by links 8, each of which encircles one of the eccentrics at one end and has its other end pivoted to a lug 9 depending from the crosshead. The shaft 7 which carries the eccentrics 6 and also the cams and other devices for operating the various moving parts of the machine, extends across the machine and is continuously driven from a pulley shaft 10 through intermeshing gears 11 and 12.

- The cutters and cutting blocks are arranged on the cr'ossheads 3 and 5 so that they will cooperate in cutting the strip of material on the lines a, a a a a indicated in Fig. 5, thus dividing the strip of stock into blanks A, A A A The first and second cutters and cutter blocks at the left in Fig. 3 are so arranged that they cut on the downwardly diverging lines a, a and so that the two cutter blocks pass between the cutters as the cutters advance. The third and fourth cutters and cutter blocks are similarly arranged to cut on the downwardly diverging lines a a and so that the cutter blocks pass between the cutters. The fifth cutter and cutter block are arranged to cut on the line a and so that the cutter block passes outside the cutter. By reason of this arrangement the blanks Aand A are carried between the first and second and between the third and fourth cutters respectively as the strip is severed, while blanks A and A may be carried in the opposite direction between the second and third and between the fourth and fifth cutter blocks respectively.-

In order that the blanks may be discharged by continual movement in the di- 'rection of the movement produced during the cutting operation, the surfaces of the cutters and cutter blocks in which the cutting edges lie are continued to the rear ends of the cutters and blocks to form guides for the blanks, and as successive blanks are cut, the previously out blanks are forced back between said surfaces. Stacks of blanks are thus formed between the cutters and cutter blocks which may be progressively moved back into receiving trays or guideways.

The strips of stock to be out are presented in a vertical position between the cutters and cutter blocks, and the stock is supported on edge before and after the cutting by a series of supporting bars 13 and 14 mounted on the crossheads 3 and 5 respectively. The supporting bars 13 are secured to the cutter carrying blocks 2, while the supporting bars 1 1 are secured to the sides of the cutter blocks 5. Two of the supporting bars 13 are arranged between the first and second cutters and support the blank A as it is carried between said cutters, while the other two supporting bars 13 are arranged between the third and fourth cutters and support the blanks A as they are carried back between said cutters. The supporting bars 14 are arranged between the second and third and between the third and fourth cutter blocks, and serve to support the blanks A and A as these blanks are moved back between the cutter blocks. During the advance of the cutter carrying head the strip of stock is-carried against the ends of the cutter blocks 4 by the engagement of the cutters 1 therewith, and during the continued forward movement of the cutter head the blanks are severed, the blanks A, A being carried back between the first and second and third and fourth cutters respectively by the ends of the cutter blocks and by pushing fingers 15 secured to the head 5 between the cutter blocks. At the same time the blanks A A are carried back between the second and third and third and fourth cutter blocks respectively by the action of pushing fingers 16 which are secured to the cutters 1 as indicated in Fig. 3 and have their forward ends arranged to act against the surface of the blanks between the cutters. During the return movement of the cutter head the blanks which have been carried between the cutter blocks are retained in position by retaining fingers 17, and the blanks which have been carried between the cutters are retained in position between the cutters by retaining fingers 18. The retaining fingers 17 project downward from arms 19 which are arranged above the blanks and are secured to a bar 20. The retaining fingers 18 project upward from arms 21 which extend under the crosshead 3 and are secured to a rock shaft 22 which is mounted in brackets 23 secured to the crosshead. During the cutting operation and the forcing of the blanks between the cutters and cutter blocks respectively, the retaining fingers 17 and 18 are moved back out of the path of the blanks, and the blanks severed from the strip are added to the stack or series of blanks previously out, the previously cut blanks being forced back as the freshly cut blanks are forced against them. As the cutter bar moves back after the cutting operation is completed, the retaining fingers 17 and 18 are moved forward in front of the blanks, retaining them in position at the ends of the stacks of blanks until the next cutting operation, when the fingers again move back to allow fresh blanks to be added to the stacks of blanks between the cutters and cutter blocks.

The retaining fingers are operated as described by means of a grooved cam 24 formed on the side of the gear 12 and con nected to operate the bar 20 and rock shaft 22 through the following mechanism. The bar 20 by which the retaining fingers 17 are carried is mounted in two arms 25 and 26 arranged at opposite sides of the machine. The arm 25 is secured to the inner end of a short shaft 27, the outer end of which is provided with an arm 28 which carries a roll 29 engaging the cam groove 24. The arm 26 is secured to a short shaft 30 arranged in line with the shaft 27 and provided at its outer end with an arm 31. The arm 31 is connected by a link 32 with one end of a lever 33 which is pivoted on the side frame of the machine and is provided at its outer end with a groove 34;. The groove 34 is engaged by a pin projecting laterally from the end of an arm 35 which is secured to the end of the rock shaft 22. By reason of this groove and pin connection between the end of the lever 34 and the end of the arm 35, the operative connection is maintained between these two parts and at the same time the rock shaft 22 and arm 35 is*free to move back and forth with the cutter carrying head. By these connections the cam 24 acts to raise the retaining fingers 1'? and lower the retaining fingers 18 as the newly cut blanks are added to the stacks of previously cut blanks, then acts to lower the retaining fingers 17 and raise the retaining fingers 18 as the cutter head is retracted.

It will be noted that with the arrangement of cutters and cutter blocks shown, the long edge of the blanks A. and A rests upon the supporting bars 13, and the surfaces of the cutters 1 which engage the ends of the blanks converge upwardly so that these surfaces confine theblanks and prevent them from rising away from the supporting bars as they are carried between the cutters.

1n the case of the blanks A A however,

the short edge of the blank rests upon the supporting bars 14: and the surfaces of the cutter blocks which engage the ends of the blanks diverge upwardly so that they do not act to confine the blanks against upward movement. To insure the proper movement of the blanks bet-ween the cutter blocks, therefore, guard plates 36 are arranged to overlie the blanks which pass between the cutter blocks. These guard plates are provided with upwardly turned front ends and are adjustably secured to the sides of the cutter blocks by means of brackets 37 which are connected to the cutter blocks by a bolt and. slot connection 38 so that the vertical position of the guard plates may be adjusted to suit the width of blanks being cut.

The stacks of blanks which are progressively formed and moved back between the cutters and cutting blocks may be delivered into suitable receptacles or upon guideways, from which they may be removed, but it is preferred to provide means for stacking these blanks in removable receiving trays which may be readily removed when filled with blanks and replaced by empty trays, and such a construction is shown in the drawings and forms one of the features of the invention.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 4:, the blanks as they move back between the cutters and cutter blocks are guided into receiving trays 39 which are supported in line with the cutters and cutter blocks between which the blanks are moved. The receiving trays are supported and held in position by supporting brackets 4:0. Each supporting bracket is provided with a horizontal ledge 11 upon which the bottom of the tray rests, and with a vertical side 42 for engaging the side of the tray. The supporting brackets 10 which are carried by the cutter crosshead 3 are secured to the cutter carrying heads 2 in such a position that when the receiving tray is in position between the sides of two of the supporting brackets, the inner surfaces of the sides of the tray are substantially in line with that part of the inner surfaces of the cutters corresponding to the lower edges of the blanks A, A The sides of the receiving tray are therefore substantially in line with the longest edge of the blank, whatever the width of the blank, and whatever the adjustment of the cutters, since the longest edge of the blanks A and A always rests upon the supporting bars 13, whatever the length of the blank being cut, and whatever the width of the strip which is being severed. The traysupporting brackets which are mounted on the head 5, and support the trays for receiving the blanks A A, which are delivered between the cutter blocks, are secured to the head 5 independently of the cutter blocks 4, and are so adjusted that the sides of the receiving trays held therein are substantially in line with that part of the surfaces of the cutter blocks which correspond to the upper edges of the blanks. Since in the case of the blanks A A*, the short edge of the blank rests upon the supporting bars 14, the position of the tray supporting brackets with relation to the cutter blocks will depend upon the width of the strip being cut as well as the length of the blank which is being severed from the strip.

In order that the machine may be adapted to form blanks of different lengths, the

cutter carrying blocks and cutter blocks are so-moimted upon the heads 3 and 5, that the distances between successive cutters and corresponding cutter blocks may be varied as desired. The arms 19 which carry the retaining fingers 17 are also adjustably secured upon the rod 20, and the arms 21 which carry theretaining fingers 18 are adjustably secured upon the rock shaft 22, and the pushing fingers 15 are also adjustably secured upon the head 5, so that the various parts may be brought into proper relation with the cutters and cutter blocks in their various adjustments.

For the purpose of adjustment, the cutter carrying head 3 is provided with slots 43, 44, and the cutter carrying heads 2 and the connected tray supporting brackets 40 are provided with lugs 45 and 46 fitting within said grooves and holding the cutter heads and tray supporting brackets in proper alinement upon the crosshead. Each of the cutter carrying heads 2 is provided with a bolt 47 (Fig. 4) which extends up through the slot 43 and is screwed into the lug 45. The head of the bolt is en gaged by clamping plate 48, one end of which is fulcrumed on a bearing plate 49, and the other end of which is engaged by pins 50 carried by a cam lever 51. The cam lever 51 is provided with an eccentric cam 52 adapted to bear upon the bearing plate 49.

When the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 4, the cam 52 and pins 50 operate to force the clamping plate 48 away from the bearing plate 49, and thus draw down on the bolt 47 to firmly clamp the cutter head in position upon the crosshead 3. By swinging the cam lever 51 either to the right orto the left, the clamping plate 48 is released so that the cutter carrying block may be moved along the crosshead into any desired position, and then the cam lever may be operated to secure thecutter carrying block in its adjusted position.

The crosshead 5 is provided with slots 53 and 54 similar to the slots in the cutter carrying crosshead. The cutter blocks 4 are provided with lugs 55 fitting the slot 53, and the cutter blocks are secured in adjusted posit-ion by clamping devices similar to the clamping devices by which the cutter carrying blocks 2 are clamped upon the crosshead 3. The tray supporting brackets 40 are provided with lugs 56 which engage the slot 54, and these brackets are clamped in position upon the head 5 by means of clamping nuts 57 threaded on studs 58 which project downward from the brackets through the slot 54, the clamping nuts being provided with handles 59 by which they may be conveniently operated.

In the operation of the machine the strips of stock are rapidly positioned by the operator between the cutting devices; are severed into sections by the cutting devices, and the corresponding sections severed from the successive strips are stacked between the cutters and bet-ween the cutter blocks, the stacks thus formed being gradually moved back into the receiving trays 39. As soon as a receiving tray is filled it is removed and replaced by an empty tray, which is in turn filled by the progressively increasing stack of blanks forced back between either the cutters or the cutter blocks as the case may be. The outer ends of the removable trays 39 may be supported in any suitable manner so that the trays may be conveniently removed or placed in position, as, for instance, by supporting cords 90 indicated in Fig. 1.

While I prefer to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that such construction and arrangement may be changed and modified in embodying the various features of the invention in different machines as may be found desirable or best suited to the particular conditions under which the various features of the invention are to be employed.

Without attempting to point out in detail the various constructions in which the invention may be embodied, What I claim 1s:-

1. A cutting machine, having, in combination, cutters for severing a strip into a plurality of sections and pushers between the cutters for moving adjacent sections out of the cutting plane in opposite directions. 2. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a series of reciprocating cutters for severing a strip into sections, and means for moving adjacent sections out of the cutting plane in opposite directions.

3. A cutting machine, having, in combination, devices for severing a strip into a plurality of sections and stacking the adj acent sections on opposite sides of the cutting plane and retaining fingers for engaging the ends of the stacks.

4. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a series of reciprocating cutters and coiiperating cutter blanks for severing a strip into a plurality of sections, means 00- operating therewith to move the adjacent sections out of the cutting plane in opposite directions, and means for retaining the sections against the stacks of previously cut sections.

5. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a series of reciprocating cutters and coiiperating cutter blocks for severing a strip into a plurality of sections, means cooperatin therewith to move the adjacent sections out of the cutting plane in opposite directions, means for stacking the successive corresponding sections between adjacent cutters and between adjacent cutter blocks, and retaining fingers for engaging the ends of the stacks.

6. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a series of reciprocating cutters and cooperating cutter blocks for severing a strip into 'a plurality of sections, means for stacking the successive corresponding sections between adjacent cutters and between adjacent cutter blocks, and receiving trays arranged to receive the stacks.

7. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a series of laterally adjustable cutters, and cooperating cutting blocks for severing a strip into sections so arranged that a section is moved between two cutters and the next section is moved between two cutter blocks.

8. A cuttlng machlne, having, in combination, a series of cutters and cooperatlng cutter blocks for severing a strip into sections so arranged that a section is moved between two cutters and the next section is moved between two cutter blocks, and retaining fingers for retaining the cut sections between the cutters and cutter blocks.

9. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a series of cutters and cooperating cutter blocks for severing a strip into sections so arranged that a section is moved between two cutters and the next section is moved between two cutter blocks, means for stacking said sections, and receiving trays arranged to receive said stacks.

10. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a reciprocating crosshead, a series of cutters transversely adjustable thereon, a second cross-head, a series of cutter blocks transversely adjustable thereon, and means for delivering blanks from the cutting devices in opposite directions between the ;cutters and between the cutter blocks.

11. A cutting machine, having, in combination, two cooperating series of cutting devices the successive devices in each series being oppositely inclined to sever a strip into sections having oppositely inclined ends, and means for relatively reciprocating said series of cutting devices.

12. A cutting machine, having, in combination, a series of reciprocating cutters for severing a strip into sections, means for stacking adjacent sections on opposite sides of the cutting plane and retaining fingers for engaging the ends of the stacks.

13. A machine for cutting shoe counter blanks, having, in combination, a series of cooperating cutters and cutter blocks, the adjacent cutters and blocks being oppositely inclined, and means for relatively reciprocating the cutters and blocks across the cutting plane whereby the adjacent severed blanks are carried out of the cutting plane in opposite directions.

14:. A machine for cutting shoe counter blanks, having, in combination, a series of cooperating cutters and cutter blocks, the adjacent cutters and blocks being oppositely inclined, means for relatively reciprocating the cutters and blocks across the cutting plane, means for supporting the blanks on edge between the blocks and cutters, and retaining fingers for retaining the blanks against the stack of previously cut blanks.

' GEORGE F. MOORE.

Witnesses:

FRED O. F IsH, M. L. GILMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

